Wednesday, July 21, 2010

I told you last week that a challenge was filed with the GAB regarding the signatures for Paris Procopis, a Republican candidate for State Assembly's 13th District. A press release from Maistelman and Associates show that the challenge was successful and Procopis won't be on the ballot, although he can always run as a write-in candidate.

“Today’s outcome was not a surprise for my campaign or for the Congressman,” said Kolosso. “It was obvious to anyone who saw the complaint that many of the challenges were completely baseless and were founded on ridiculous claims, such as the idea that anyone who signed their name in print instead of cursive should have their signature thrown out.”

The GAB dismissed a challenge against 51 signatures that were made in print rather than in cursive, as well as challenges based on the claim that certain signatures were dated in the years 2011 and 2016.

“Penalizing someone for poor penmanship is insider politics at its worst,” said Dan Kyle, who collected signatures that were challenged based on dates. “Unless you think I have a time machine, the idea that any of my signatures were dated 2016 and should therefore be invalidated is just silly. The real shame, though, is that taxpayers had to pay GAB staff to review such frivolous claims.”

In other news, a challenge from the Young Republicans of Dane County, who was trying to keep Representative Tammy Baldwin off the ballot was thrown out. It also is another example that the Republicans, are not only a tacky bunch, but also they appear to be more desperate than they want people to believe:

The Board also dismissed a ballot challenge against Baldwin brought by the Young Republicans of Dane County ,saying she should be disqualified for running for re-election because she had listed her campaign office rather than her home address on her nomination papers.

The Board said Baldwin could continue to list her office address because, as an openly lesbian member of Congress, she had received threats.

Baldwin has had permission to use her office address for years. Didn't these Young Turks bother to do any research?

And finally, a bit that included a double surprise. Ieshuh Griffin, running for the Assembly in the 10th District, will not be allowed to use a rather unique label below her name to identify her.

What is surprising is that the GAB actually had to waste their time considering this, and that the vote was as close as it was to allowing her to put that on the public ballot.

Yes, there is a First Amendment which protects our right to free speech, but that is clearly being abused in this story.